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I will admit for years I wavered between being a Democrat and a Republican. Discounting local elections where I just voted for the person, voting for the president was different.However for the past twenty years or so I have remained a staunch independent. Having just witnessed this past election my conviction to remain independent seems to confirm my choice to do so.I cannot get over the the bitterness and outright hatred that is generated by supporters of both parties. It isn’t that the candidates were very nasty, but supporters of both were actually frightening in their conduct.

Truthfully, politics to me is the most boring endeavor that humans partake in. I would no more get excited or involved than I would in a bullfight. While realizing that politics must exist I just have no interest in it at all. With all the corruption, greed, and hypocrisy involved why would I? Therefore it is all the more puzzling why humans get so upset over elections. This country seems to find a way to even out the most radical changes that any candidate or party can make, so why all the anger?If your party or candidate lost, correct the mistakes and do better next time.
I have always suspected that the minute a person assumes public office an immediate change takes place. They are no longer the person you once knew and actually liked. They are now a politician, a curse more obscene than any you could direct at family or friend.They continue to remain so until out of office, by then the distaste is too great as to reconcile. The one exception seems to be ex-presidents. ex. Clinton, The Bush’s, Carter.They are treated far better out of office than they ever were while serving.
During this past election, I received as a registered independent over 19 calls asking me to support Obama.I live in a highly Republican area and I guess Indies are a prime target.They offered me rides to the polls,posters, and an invitation to meet certain candidates.I even received three calls from Pres. Obama himself along with one from Michele Obama. Surprisingly I never got any calls from the Republicans which is probably why they lost.I have since read that certain independents were targeted by Democrats to see if there was any change in their voting selection as the campaign ran down. I didn’t count the call I got from Washington during the primary from Newt Gingrich.
I felt all along the Republicans ran a poor campaign, and had lost sight of the real issues and concentrated more on trying to vilify Obama.They also seemed to react poorly to change and refused to appeal to certain classes of voters.
After the election, I read a very illuminating comment made by a top staunch Republican, which states as follows.”This has got to stop–Trump, Mcconnell, Fox news. Sarah Palin, ultra conservatism and a fanatic desire to self destruct. We don’t seem to be able to gage the public and are unable to react”. This statement seemed to me a very precise analysis of the problems of today’s Republican party. Pres. Obama was ripe for defeat by a viable candidate, unfortunately for them the Republicans were not able to provide one.The Reagan era is gone and the Republican party has to revise itself once again and appeal to a nation that wants real leadership.

2 Responses to “Voting in America”

Quite a scathing blog, Le Duke & as always, beautifully written. I am admittedly a liberal but I, too vote for the candidate i.e. I definitely would have voted for Bloomberg had he run for president. I cannot agree with you more in terms of the HATE and mudslinging especially on the right. Romney, quite frankly did not have a concrete plan – his whole strategy was just blasting Obama. I can’t believe the president actually reached out to you – WOW. As you said, not unlike W, Obama had no business being awarded A 2ND term but the GOP blew it. Mitt Romney – yuck! There are so many , more independent republicans that would make a finer president, but just don’t want the job. Thanks for the contribution and making Whadawethink a better blog.

Politics has become a platform to voice our discontent over a particular party or person within that party. Rather than get down to the business of fixing the mess we’re in, politicians are behaving like spoiled brats. No, worse. And there’s no one to send them to their rooms. As much as we dislike the business of politics, we should not be forced to turn our backs to the ruination of the country. We must demand change and not stop until we get it.